Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO quietly tests presidential bid by Natasha Korecki at Politico. “Various messages were presented to a focus group in southern Wisconsin this week centering on (Ed Stack)…Those in the group were shown several short videos of other candidates including Biden, Warren and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz…but viewed eight or nine videos that included Stack messaging, according to a focus group participant.”Read more

Amazon Ready to Pour Billions Into Policing Products on Its Site by Tripp Mickle at Wall Street Journal. “We have to be vigilant and willing to spend hundreds of millions and eventually billions of dollars to protect our customers,” said Mr. Wilke, Amazon’s chief executive of world-wide consumer. He said the company is lobbying for stiffer federal penalties for counterfeiters.”WSJ subs.

Deloitte Holiday Study: Shoppers are expected to spend $1,496 per household during the holiday season this year. The top 20% of spenders account for 60% of total dollars people plan to spend during the holiday season.Read more

The Michaels Companies Appoints Mark Cosby CEO “Before joining Michaels, Cosby most recently served as President, North America at Office Depot Inc. His previous experience includes senior executive roles as President of Retail at CVS Caremark and a variety of positions at Macy’s Inc., including President, Stores.”Press release

Amazon Adds Thousands of New Locations for Free Package Pickup Across the U.S. “Amazon today announced the expansion of Counter, a network of staffed pickup points…customers now have access to thousands more Amazon Hub Counter locations with Amazon’s new store partners GNC, Health Mart and Stage Stores.”Press release

Inside the Nordstrom Dynasty by Jonah Engel Bromwich at NY Times. “Peter’s band Stag shares its rehearsal space with a strip club in Seattle called Dream Girls SoDo. At a recent rehearsal, Peter (Nordstrom), who is 6-foot-5 and called Pete by everyone, had untucked his immaculate white dress shirt from his slacks, perhaps in an effort to fit in with the T-shirts around him. But his Dries Van Noten shoes clashed with the dirty sneakers of his bandmates. “The strippers love this,” he said, as the four-piece banged out a version of their song “Pied Piper.”Tiered subs.

Kroger will hold an investor conference at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, November 5, 2019Press release

David’s Bridal wants to remake itself after bankruptcy with ‘real brides,’ easier returns by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “David’s Bridal is now allowing store-bought returns on wedding dresses for the first time…The strategy is based on eliminating “friction points” with consumers, including “confusing and conflicting” pricing and ordering policies, said James Marcum, who was appointed CEO in June.”Read more

Amazon sues e-commerce ‘coaches,’ alleging they taught underhanded tactics to sellers at GeekWire. “In a new lawsuit, Amazon accuses Michael Gazzola, Matthew Behdjou and several related companies of perpetrating a scheme that includes chains of fake reviews, dishonest marketing, infringement of Amazon’s trademarks and more.”Read more

Gymboree is making a comeback, thanks to a former rival at NJ Advance Media. “The kids apparel store is being revived by former rival The Children’s Place and will relaunch in early 2020 with more than 200 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.”Read more

Erik Nordstrom, co-president of Nordstrom, sits down with CNBC to discuss the company’s new planned flagship store and the state of retail at CNBC.7:54 video

Ken Braunbach, Walmart’s vice president of transportation explains why the company pays its truck drivers twice the national median salary by Aaron Holmes at Business Insider.Read more

Hackers hover near online shopping carts, too. It’s called e-skimming by Susan Tompor at Detroit Free Press via USA Today. “Many of the bad actors operate out of Eastern Europe. Some groups sell the stolen credit card data on the Web. At least one group has used a complex re-shipping scheme to make money, Browning said.”Read more

Former eBay CEO John Donahoe will become Nike’s new CEO at GeekWire.Read more

Breaking Bad fanatics line up at Costco to buy ‘Schraderbrau’ from Walter White’s DEA agent brother-in-law at Daily Mail. “A Breaking Bad-themed beer sold out in just three hours during a limited launch in New Mexico, where crazed fans of the hit show lined up to score a bottle. Actor Dean Norris, who played DEA Agent Hank Schrader in the series, promoted the initial batch of ‘Schraderbrau’ beer on Saturday by signing bottles at three Costco locations in Albuquerque.”Video/Read more

Tipsheet Extra

Katie Couric steamrolls Sheryl Sandberg in interview

WeWork can no longer afford to move in to former Lord & Taylor building